Van Build / Conversion Ford E350 Van Life

Welcome to our Tiny Home! We bought this van in July and have been slowly building out the interior. Since we've already been living on the road for 3 years, the transition was a huge upgrade. This took about 7 full days to complete over the course of 3 months since we're busy operating our business. Everything was done out in the national forests of Colorado in free, dispersed campsites. We were careful to haul out every scrap of wood and leave no trace of our project behind, with the exception of some sawdust. It took a lot of prior planning for materials since the nearest Home Depot could be up to 60 miles away, which we often ended up making the drive anyway. The Honda generator powered all of the tools needed for the job.

This was our very first van build out and, as you can see from the video, we learned to improve along the way. Sometimes, it didn't always work out the first time like we planned. We had to backtrack or change methods throughout the entire process. Ben had prior experience in construction and framing, which was extremely helpful. However, the vans uneven surface and attachments were often times frustrating. We watched many van build out tutorials but we eventually learned there is no right or wrong way of building this. Everyone has a different opinion and so we built it the way we wanted and knew how. It turned out better than I imagined!

The total cost for materials was about $1200, including the tools. A small portion of this cost was trial and error. If we found something didn't work out, we scrapped it and started over. Next time we build a van, we know the most efficient way of doing so!

Our tiny cabin home isn't quite finished. The final touches and trimming needs to be added along with curtains, countertops, and drawer fronts. Next month, we are installing solar panels and air conditioning unit on the roof. It will power anything we need inside the van. There will be an awning installed on the side of the van for easy shade. Though it's not quite finished, it's fully functional for our lifestyle!

The best part of having the van is the amount of storage available now! Previously, we had many personal items in the trailer mixed with our business, which was very inconvenient. We've successfully emptied the trailer of all personal items and everything has its place in the van. It's completely self contained and we can easily drop the trailer to go wherever we please!

Welcome to our home on wheels! We're so happy to live our American Dream of traveling around the country, meeting amazing people, exploring beautiful geologic wonders, national parks, and vast landscapes! It's been 3 years but here's to another 3!
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